Skip to content
- This is a member of the pea family and grows throughout the grassland on Cowbar, flowering from May to September. Its leaves have 5 downy leaflets.
- The stems are solid and branching and can spread to around 40cms and 35cms in height.
- The flowers are yellow, changing to orange as they mature, with red buds in clusters. They are described as looking like little slippers and are a good source of nectar for bees.
- It is an adaptable plant which will grow in a range of soil types.
- It is sometimes known as ‘Eggs and Bacon’, ‘Hen and Chicks’, ‘Butter and Eggs’ because of the bright yellow flowers and reddish buds, or ‘Grannie’s Toes-nails’ (because of the claw like seed pods – also looking like ‘birds’ feet’).
- Common bird’s-foot-trefoil is an important foodplant for the caterpillars of the Common Blue, Silver-studded Blue and Wood White butterflies – species which are both classified as Priority Species under the UK Post-2010 Biodiversity Framework. It also provides food for the Dingy Skipper and Green Hairstreak larvae.
- In the Victorian language of flowers, the Birdsfoot Trefoil symbolised revenge.
